Rondo
by hikachu
Summary: Oh, but those things, that void, that long wait and the never-ending loneliness… you can't really forget those, can you? For TF-chan; some Lambda/Bern; set before the EP6 Ura Tea Party.


"Look, look~ So you're here after all…"

"… Lambda."

Bernkastel turned around slowly. Even though this hallway was narrow, the ceiling was so high that you could hear even the faintest noise echo between its walls. She had noticed the energetic tip-tap of footsteps approaching several moments ago, and she had known who it was right away. Who else would have been looking for her when everyone was celebrating her defeat?

… That, and perhaps, just perhaps, Bernkastel loved Lambdadelta enough to know those things about her; small things, like the song she hummed against her neck when she woke up from a nap or how many sweets she could eat before getting sick. Small things, meaningless things. Things of warmth and memories that said 'we're both still here'. Things that you only learn when someone is precious to you.

"Hey, hey, were you hiding from me, Bern~?"

"…"

"No, of course not. Why would you? Tehehe~"

"Leave me alone," Bernkastel muttered. It was too soft and sounded too tired to be venomous, to be taken seriously; then again, she had never been the type to show her anger too openly (in most cases, at least).

Lambdadelta, though, could tell that she was annoyed: the corners of her mouth were slightly turned downwards and her fingers were bent in loose fists.

"I'm sorry but I don't want to—! You should really join the party, by the way. Ah," she sighed, "Ronove and that bulky human cook baked some of the best sweets I've ever tasted in the millennia I've lived. To think that the _cute_ me has yet to find someone so skilled to employ…! Hmmm, perhaps it's better this way: if I tasted something that delicious everyday, even that would become boring, right? Ohohoho, of course, of course. There's no way that child would be able to get such a skilled servant while I, the great Lambdadelta, I'm still—"

"No demon wants to serve you because they know you'd be even more annoying than Beato."

"Ah, yes, Beato's furniture sure is amazing, huh?" Bernkastel's statement was purposefully ignored. "Come on Bern~ come with me. I'm sure she won't be mad at you: Battler is there with her, and you know how soft that guy is…! Besides," she added in a whisper, "the wine's even better than the one you had ordered for Erika's ceremony."

"The sight of their idiotically smiling faces would make even the sweetest wine taste like vinegar on my tongue."

"Ohh, so bitter, so bitter~ Kukuku. But I wonder if you can be so picky after everything you have done to them…"

Bernkastel snorted. "I don't want to hear that from you. It's not like you care after all, Lambda."

"Hmmm~~ but of course I do…! I hope this game has entertained you at least a little—I know I had tons of fun: that duel was amazing! Tehehe, I feel almost sorry for Erika but as your piece… death was probably the best thing that could happen to her!"

"Hoh," the other witch finally smiled. "I wonder what do you mean now. Am I getting scolded by you?"

"Kyahaha~ of course not! As long as she can keep boredom at bay, my Bern should trample on others and cook their fates as she pleases: sour or sweet, like a cake or raw meat—in the end seeing those children struggle as they march towards their end makes creatures like us feel alive, right? It's fine, it's just our nature~" a thoughtful pause. "Hmm, today's was truly a rare sight. A witch risking her life to save someone else from that hell…! Kyahahaha! As amusing as she's been so far, Beato is still too human."

"Hmph. Truly a pathetic excuse for a witch."

"Ohhh?" Lambda's smile became colder. "Bern… you aren't jealous, are you?"

"Don't be foolish."

Then Lambda giggled and moved farther away from her, spinning on her toes like a child pretending to be a ballerina.

"After all, that was pretty unusual, wasn't it? In this world… there is no one who can save you from that eternal hell except yourself…! You and I," she added looking the other witch in the eye, "know this better than anyone else, don't we?"

Bernkastel's grin vanished, and she looked away. "I'm not in the mood for reminiscing."

Her voice, as quiet as ever, sounded almost solemn as she stood before the tall window of stained glass. The marble cherubs decorating the vaults looked more lively than her, even with their blank eyes and cold cheeks, ready to fly away, while Bernkastel stared at the floor and then into the nothingness beyond it.

As the witch who waited for miracles, she couldn't move; she couldn't save herself—not even from her own memories. She could only wait until…

"Hey Bern."

Looking up, Lambdadelta's face was close to hers again. Too close. In fact, Bernkastel wanted to tell her: go away. But she couldn't, not when just trying to open her mouth made her body tremble. Not when her present was still made up of memories she thought locked in a forgotten corner of her mind.

… Oh, but those things, that void, that long wait and the never-ending loneliness… you can't really forget those, can you?

The silence—

"Bern…"

The silence in that place was so absolute; it was like the lack of oxygen, like going deaf as your ears bleed—

"Don't ignore meee!"

Your voice is so whiny it's annoying; I'll cut off your tongue and feed it to my cats. Bernkastel said nothing again. The arms around her were soft and smelled like candy; their warmth was gently reminding her that memories are just memories.

_You are here. We are here._

"Hey, you know," Lambdadelta's lips brushed against her neck as she spoke, and Bernkastel almost hoped that she would kiss her. "If you ever get trapped in that place again, I will save you. No matter if it's here, now, or in a thousand years in a Fragment I have never heard of. I will save you because I am the only one allowed to defeat you, and when that happens, I'll build a beautiful palace just for the two of us! You will wear shackles of gold and I'll bite you everywhere; I will eat you up little by little, so you will never forget that you are here, with me. You won't need to worry anymore," Lambda giggled and finally kissed her. "Okay, Bern?"

"… as if you'd ever be able to do that." Her words were distant, but Bernkastel let herself hug the other anyway.


End file.
